Governor for steam-engines



(N9 Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1. N. P. BURNHAM. GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES.

No. 336,836. Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

WITNESSES I INVENTOR i 2 WW JV'azlzanEBurnfiam By hi flttorneys N.PETERS. mwum n w, Wmhinglom rm;

(No Model.) I

N. F. BURNHAM.

2 Shets-Sheet 2.

GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES.

WITNESSES By his Attorneys N. PETERS, PlwlwLilhogmpller. Walhinglun. DC.

Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

-INVENTOR JVltizanlZJumkam.

UNITED STATES ATENT @rricn.

NATHAN F. BURNHAM, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

GOVERNOR FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,836, dated February23, 1886.

Application filed October 7, 1885. Serial No.17 9,250. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN F. BURNHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of York, in the county of York and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Governors for Steam-Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an automatic centrifugal governor which ismounted upon the main shaft of the engine or upon a valve-pistondriving-shaft.

The automatic control of the speed of the engine is effected by themovement of the valve-piston eccentric relatively to the axial line ofthe shaft which causes its rotation.

I do not claim, broadly, varying the relation of such an eccentric toits driving-shaft, as such arrangements are common.

The novel features of myinvention will fully appear from the followingdescription:

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a. transverse section throughone form of engine to which my improved governor may be applied. Fig. 2is a detail view showing the valve-piston eccentric and the frame orsupport by which it is carried. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section,through the governing devices on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is adetail view showing the eccentric-carrying frame with the eccentricremoved, and Fig. 5 is a view of the inner side of the eccentricdetached.

The particular form of engine indicated in Fig. l of the drawings formsthe subject-matter of another application filed by me simultaneouslyherewith, and no claim is therefore made to it in this application.

A indicates the connecting-rod,which drives the main shaft B of theengine in the ordinary way. 0 is the connecting rod of the valvepistonO. The valve-piston connecting-rod O carries ayoke,0,which embraces theeccentric D. The eccentric is formed with an elongated slot, e, throughwhich the main shaft B loosely passes. The eccentric may therefore beadjusted bodily transversely to the shaft B, to vary its relation to theaxial line or center of motion, and thus increase or decrease itseccentricity. A groove, d, on the eccentric, formed in the arc of acircle, fits over a correspondingly-curved boss or rib, d, on a plate oreccentric-carrier, E, the eccentric being secured upon the plate bybolts (1 which pass through elongated apertures d* in the eccentric. Bythis construction the eccentric may be partially rotated with referenceto its supporting-plate E and then firmly bolted in place. By this meansthe relation of the valve-piston to the steam-ports or lead of theengine may be adjusted. The eccentric-carrying plate E is indirectlysupported by a flanged disk or frame, F, which is keyed to the mainshaft, and has bosses E, one on each end, which pass through elongatedapertures in the disk. The plate E is formed with an elongated openingcorresponding to the opening in the eccentric, through which the mainshaft also passes.

It will be perceived that the construction thus far described willpermit the endwise or transverse movement of the plate E with ref- 1ere'nce to the driving-shaft, to increase or decrease the eccentricityof the eccentric. Each boss E on the plate E is pivotally connected witha governing-lever, H H, pivoted at h on the inner side of the flangeddisk or frame F.

It will be observed that the pivotalconnection between one of thegovernor-levers, H, and the boss E is located between the pivot of thelever and its free end, while the other boss E is pivoted to anextension of the lever H beyond its pivot. fore swing out from the mainshaft under centrifugal force they would conjointly move the plate E andthe eccentric in the same direction transversely to the driving-shaft.Each governor-lever is weighted or enlarge'd at its end, and has acurved face which rests upon a collar or sleeve, F, on the main shaft.This collar is preferably formed with the disk or frame F, but may beindependently secured to the shaft, or the governor-levers may makecontact directly with the shaft. Plate or elliptic springs I, adjustably secured upon the flange of the frame F, carry at their outerends rollers t, which bear upon the outer edges of the governor-levers.These springs tend to overcome the centrifugal tendency of thegovernorlevers developed under rotation. The springs I are adj ustablysecured to thickened concaved portions of the flange, and, as thesprings are formed with straight ends, the rollers i may be caused topress with greater or less power upon the governor-levers by Shouldthese levers there-- screwing up or unscrewing the bolts which hold thesprings in place. Obviously the same effect could be produced by makingthe springs with elongated slots, so that they could be adjustedendwise. The flange of the frame F serves to inclose and protect thegoverning devices.

The parts are shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, in a position of rest.\Vhen the engine is working and the main shaft rotating, the centrifugalforce developed by the rotation tends constantly to move thegovernor-levers outwardly and shift the eccentric. The springs I tendconstantly to overcome the centrifugal tendency. The development ofaspeed, however, sufficient to overcome the centripetal action of thesprings causes the bodily movement of the eccentric transversely to theshaft, and effects a corresponding change in the relation of thevalve-piston to the steam-ports.

In order to counterbalance the weight of material around the center ofmotion in the governor, I employ a link, K, to counterbalance the weightof the eccentric and its carrier-plate. One end of this link is pivotedat k to a prolongation of the governor-lever H beyond its pivot, whilethe opposite end of the link is pivoted at It to the governor-lever Hbetween its pivot h and its free end. The link K is shaped, as shown,with a curved or bulged portion to counterbalance the bulge of theeccentric D, the position of which is indicated by the dotted line,Fig. 1. The enlarged part of the eccentric and the enlarged part of thelink K are arranged in line on opposite sides of the shaft. It will beobvious that any movement of the governor-levers H H which would cause ashifting of the eccentric and its carrier-plate will produce acorresponding movement of the link K and maintain the counterbalancingof the parts. This is an important feature when running at high speed.

The details of construction may be varied without departing from theprinciples involved in my improved construction. For instance, theeccentric'carrier plate and governor-levers may be placed on the sameside of the disk. The governor-levers may be connected by a couplingrodand only one of the levers pivotally connected with the sliding plate,if desired. The character of the springs employed may also be changed.I, however, prefer the construction shown as more compact and efficient.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as set forth,of the rotating shaft, the disk or frame fast thereon, thetransversely-moving slotted eccentric-carrier plate, the slottedeccentric thereon, and the pivoted governor-levers, which are directlypivoted to the eccentriccarrier plate.

- 2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the rotating shaft,the disk or frame fast thereon, the slotted transversely-movingeccentric-carrier plate and the slotted eccentric thereon, the pivotedgovernor-levers arranged immediately opposite the eccentriccarrierplate, and the direct pivotal connection between the governor-levers andthe eccentriccarrier plate.

3. The combination of the rotating shaft, the disk or frame fast thereonand having the two slots therein, the eccentric-carrier plate and itseccentric, the bosses on the eccentriccarrier plate, which projectthrough the slots in the-frame or disk, the pivoted governorlevers, anda direct pivotal connection between the governor-1evers and the bosseson the eccentric-carrier plate.

4,. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the shaft, the frameor disk, the pivoted governor-levers arranged to vibrate at right anglesto the shaft, the eccentric-carrier plate and eccentric, and theadjustable plate or elliptic springs, which bear directly on thegovernor-lever.

5. The combination of the shaft, the frame or disk, the slottedeccentric capable of being moved transversely relatively to the shaft,its carrierplate, the pivoted governor-levers, which effect the movementof the eccentric, and a counterbalancing-link pivoted on thegovernor-levers, as set-forth.

6. The combination of the shaft, the frame or disk, the eccentric, theeccentric-carrier, the governor-levers, the connections between thegovernor-levers and the eccentric'carrier, and means for adjusting theeccentric on its carrier independently of the governing devices.

7. The combination of the eccentric, the supporting-plate, thegroove-and-bossinterlocking connection, and securing bolts or devices,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the shaft, the frame or disk, the slottedeccentric capable of being moved transversely relatively to the shaft,pivoted governor-levers, by which this movement is effected, and acounterbalancing-link pivoted on the governor-levers, as set forth.

9. The combination of the shaft, the transversely-shiftingeccentric-carrier plate, the eccentric thereon, governing devices forantomatically shifting the eccentric, and means for adjusting theeccentric on its carrier independently of said governing devices.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

NATHAN F. BURNHAM.

Witnesses:

WM. GILBERTHORP, XVM. BEITZEL.

ICO

